About Us

State Records is the NSW Government's archives and records management authority. We manage the NSW State archives collection and set the rules and provide guidance on the management of official records. Our off-budget Government Records Repository (GRR) provides records storage services to the public sector. We are part of the Department of Finance, Services and Innovation (DFSI). Our Minister is The Hon Dominic Perrottet MP, Minister for Finance and Services.

Accessing State Records Information

The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 came into effect 1 July 2010. Its intention is to promote open, accountable, fair and effective government in NSW and ensure that members of the public have a right to access government information. This right is restricted only when there is an overriding public interest against disclosing the particular information. The GIPA Act replaces the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

Doing business with State Records

Business Ethics

The NSW Department of Finance and Services (DFS) has a major role in the delivery of NSW Government services including procurement, construction, consumer protection and industrial relations. To do our job well we rely on business partners and suppliers.See the DFSI Business Ethics Statement

General Purchase Agreement

Our Terms and Conditions, including Small Business payment guidelines.

Legislation

We are a statutory body established by the State Records Act 1998. The Act provides for the creation, management and protection of the records of public offices of the State and for public access to those records. It also established State Records and its Board.

Privacy Management Plan

This Privacy Management Plan updates how State Records complies with the Information Protection Principles with its own records. The plan also outlines how State Records supports the principles through its role as the coordinating agency for standards of official recordkeeping in the NSW public sector under the State Records Act 1998. State Records pursues this role with an understanding of the importance of privacy and the way personal information in official records should be managed. State Records helps protect privacy by providing safe and secure storage for State records, promoting the timely disposal of records of temporary value, promoting high standards for official recordkeeping and by administering the framework for public access to State records more than 30 years old.

State Records Board and Advisory Groups

Board

The key functions of the Board are to determine State Records' policies and strategic plans and to grant approvals for issuing records management standards and for authorising the disposal of State records.

What we do

Records Management

We manage a framework of policy, legislation, standards, codes of best practice and guidelines governing the making, retention and management of State records and access to them. This framework applies both to records managed by public sector bodies and to the State archives collection.

Records in our Care

A major operational focus for us is the documentation, storage and preservation of records. These include the State archives collection held in our own facilities, State archives maintained elsewhere in partnership arrangements with other organisations, and semi-active records stored commercially for our public sector clients.

Functions

Section 66 of the State Records Act 1998 provides that State Records has the following functions:

setting and monitoring standards for the creation, management and disposal of State records

providing practical advice, guidance and training to NSW public sector agencies in all aspects of records management

providing centralised and cost-effective storage and retrieval services for the semi-active records of public sector agencies

identifying those State records which should be retained as State archives and authorising the disposal of those which should not

documenting and 'cataloging' State archives in their functional and administrative context

storing State archives in appropriate environments and ensuring that those stored elsewhere are also stored to the necessary standards

using 'micro-' and 'macro-preservation' techniques to preserve the State's archives

making State records more than 30 years old available for public access and use

guiding public sector agencies in administering public access to those State records for which they are responsible

interpreting, promoting and enhancing public awareness of the State archives collection, and

making the best use of information technology and communications to improve our services and business.

Assess serious matters of poor recordkeeping

Individuals may make a complaint about serious instances of poor recordkeeping or non-compliant records management within a NSW Government organisation.

It should be noted that State Records can only look at matters that specifically relate to the requirements of the State Records Act 1998 and the records management standards issued under the Act.

In the first instance, you can contact us by telephone to discuss the issue. If it is a serious matter that we can look into then, we will request that a written complaint is sent outlining the issue.

Complaints about records management in NSW Government organizations should be addressed to the Director, State Records NSW by emailing recordkeeping@records.nsw.gov.au or by writing to PO Box 516, Kingswood NSW 2747.

If State Records decides to deal with the complaint, we will make an assessment of the organisation’s records management policy and processes in order to determine if a breach of the State Records Act has occurred. Our aim is to assist the public office to improve its records management by bringing its attention to areas of policy and process which need corrective action or improvement. State Records does not have formal investigation powers.

If your complaint concerns:

maladministration or corrupt conduct, then the appropriate organisations would be the Independent Commission Against Corruption (see www.icac.nsw.gov.au) and the NSW Ombudsman’s Office (see www.ombo.nsw.gov.au)

access to records and information under the Government Information Public Access Act, then the appropriate organisation would be the Office of the Information Commissioner (see www.ipc.nsw.gov.au), or

privacy of records and information under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act and Health Records and Information Privacy Act, then the appropriate organisation would be the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (see www.ipc.nsw.gov.au).

Values, Vision and Aims

Aims

Ensure that the business of the NSW public sector is properly documented and that official records are managed efficiently and effectively to support frontline service delivery, good governance and accountability.

Develop, document, preserve and make available the State archives collection as a cultural and information resource in order to enrich the people and communities of NSW.

Values

We are committed to:

the highest possible professional standards

our customers and their needs in our decision-making and business directions

integrity and accountability in our dealings with stakeholders, customers and the records

innovation, creativity and openness to ideas in our work

respect for our customers and their diverse backgrounds and interests, and respect for each other.

Vision

To ensure the people and Government of NSW have ready access to records which illuminate history, enrich the life of the community and support good and accountable government.

Publications

OpenGov NSW

Online repository »A simple and easily accessible path to NSW Government published information - both contemporary and historical
- including Annual Reports and open access information released under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act).